Sampling
by Magikcard
Summary: Basically, this is a platform in which I can give my stories a trial-run. I will turn the most popular option at the time to a full story. So please don't expect complete chapters, these will most likely be excerpts. If this interests you, please give this a read and choose my next project. If not, wait for the actual story I'm going to write. Or not.
1. Chapter 1: Hisui

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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Hisui sighed while seated on her bed, back straight from the long hours of tutoring. Her emerald hair glistened from the shower she just took. Looking at the desk, Hisui noticed another letter that wasn't there before. It's not unusual for a servant to deliver letters to Hisui's chambers, another one wouldn't have made the Princess bat an eye. However, the colour of the letter and the design of it just made Hisui sigh again. It was pink and ornamented with flowers—particularly roses. The wax seal told Hisui the sender's identity.

"Him again…" Hisui suppressed a groan, deciding to handle the letter in a more mature manner. "How many times did I reject him?" Hisui simply tossed the letter in the bin without reading the contents, knowing that the words of flattery aren't really written by him, but a servant. Hisui would know from the many yet, tedious visits to the Duke, Hisui learned that his ways with words and his vocabulary pool is crude and shallow—nothing like the romantic composition of the letters Hisui has read in the past. Thus, the Princess developed a distain for his forgery. It didn't matter now if the letter was written by Duke John, he already played his hand, nothing he can do now can't be interpreted without being weary of an ulterior motive.

"Arcadios!" Hisui called out, knowing full well the knight was standing behind the door. "Come in." The doors to Hisui's room opened and a sturdy knight stepped in with honed and focused movements.

"What is the matter?" If it was a stranger listening, they would hear nothing but a professional tone, cold and unyielding. However, to the Princess or the King, they can glean concern in Arcadio's voice.

"Can I ask of you to stop Duke John's advances?" Similarly, Arcadio detected impatience from the monotone voice of the Princess.

"Regrettably, my status as a knight can't prevent the Duke's actions."

"Then, can you ask of you to look into the letters beforehand? See if the contents are worth my time and handle it accordingly."

"Is it fine for someone such as myself to look into those letters?"

"Yes, anything serious is to be handed to me. The rest, dispose of them."

"As you wish." The knight bowed. "Is there anything else you need my assistance with?"

"No, may leave." As the knight was about to leave the room, Hisui's voice became softer. "Goodnight."

"Sleep well Princess, the day ahead will need rest." After the knight left, Hisui sighed again.

"Unfortunately." The Princess added before the lights were turned off. The same can't be said of Hisui. Now lying on the bed, she thought of the duties as a Princess. She's a figurehead, responsibilities are close to a mountain. But, she's a human, her desires are bottomless, most of them locked away deep in her heart, buried under the mountain. Only the combination of solitude and the tranquillity of night can pick away at the mountain. Tonight, dealing with liars was unearthed. Growing up as a Princess, flowery words were shoved into her ears day in and day out; actors of the insidious variety challenged her patience; hollow pleasantries searched for her weaknesses. Their biggest sin is making her play in their game, meeting greed with deceit. Of course, all of Hisui's interactions aren't filled with malice, they just tend to leave superficial impressions compared to the valleys by the ones that are. One turn on the bed dispelled the thoughts, letting weariness rein.

* * *

I sighed once I sat on the bed I spent countless frustrated nights on. While playing with my drying green hair, I noticed a letter on my desk that wasn't there before. A servant must have delivered it to me, the seal belongs to someone I don't want to deal with.

"Him again…" I suppressed a groan that wouldn't fit a Princess like me and picked up the pink envelope, turning it back and forth, hoping that I didn't mistaken the wax seal. The paper choice and flowery design shattered my hopes. I tossed the envelope into the bin and thought of a way to stop the Duke's actions. It's bad enough that the words he speaks doesn't match the elegance in the letters, it's worse that he won't stop pestering me. Worst because I have to deal with more lies. Not that I have any right to say anything…

"Arcadios!" I shouted, having formulated a plan and knowing my guard was just out the door. "Come in." The doors swiftly opened, showing the knight that knows me the best.

"What is the matter?" I made him worry about me again…those eyes can't fool me.

"Can I ask of you to stop Duke John's advances?"

"Regrettably, my status as a knight can't prevent the Duke's actions."

"Then, can you ask of you to look into the letters beforehand? See if the contents are worth my time and handle it accordingly."

"Is it fine for someone such as myself to look into those letters?"

"Yes, anything serious is to be handed to me. The rest, dispose of them."

"As you wish." The knight bowed. "Is there anything else you need my assistance with?"

"No, may leave." Just as Arcadios was about to leave, I called out to him. "Goodnight."

"Sleep well Princess, the day ahead will need rest." After the knight left, the room felt colder and more realistic.

"Unfortunately." Having decided to follow his advice, I turned off the lights and laid on the bed. Why can't things be simple like before? Can I spend a day without having to deal with people wearing masks upon masks? It is so tedious, I just want to have a little bit of fun…though as a Princess, things aren't just all fun and games like the story books say they are. If they are, father wouldn't have made me spend years of my life studying about ruling a kingdom and the other relevant things on a grand scale such as this. Once I thought of the fact that father has business with me tomorrow, I shut off the needless thought and soon drifted to sleep.

* * *

 **Those who read my message at the end of my last story will know: This is choice for you, I mentioned that I'll be giving you a choice of what story you want me to write. So here it is! This time, due to my brain sucking, you only get two choices. To make up for it, I threw in third-person and first-person interpretations of each idea.**

 **After reading both Hisui's and Lisannas's 'chapter', do let me know which one you prefer, also, don't forget to mention what point of view you want the story to be written in.**

 **If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or write it in the reviews.**

 **I'll point out the other suggestions I received and explain why I didn't pick it in Lisanna's chapter.**

 **Until then, have a nice day!**


	2. Chapter 2: Lisanna

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

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At a time of night that's unreasonable for any children to be active, howling gusts of winds, ankle reaching rain, none of that was heard by Lisanna who was revisiting the past. Sitting snuggly in an armchair, she was looking at photos of her past. A way to pass time while her hair is still wet. The times when she was a kid, playing with her sister and brother was captured at the opportune moment, smiling, ignorance of the years to come.

Lisanna exchanged one album for another, this one was a special one that was hidden from her family. The time she shared with Natsu was stored here, from the time way met to the now, each one was precious to her—not even the priceless can compare. Lisanna went through a symphony of emotions with each photo or painting—none of them being negative—Natsu's silliness simply brought the girl too much joy. That all changed when a she reached a certain moment in her timeline with Natsu. To her, it was like reading a trilogy to a book but only reading to first and last. Despite Natsu relaying everything that happened in the two-year gap, she remained a dry well. Lisanna looked that the other albums, nothing changed.

The front door opened slowly, Mirajane walked in the living room after putting away a soaking umbrella.

"Lisanna? You're still up?"

"Yes, I'm waiting for my hair to dry." Unconvinced, Mirajane walked over to brush Lisanna's hair.

"But it's already dry."

"When did it—why don't you take a shower first? You must be tired from working all day." Mirajana didn't respond, not with words anyway. She took a seat across from her sister's and looked into straight into Lisanna's moistening eyes.

"You're more important than a shower." Mirajane overlapped Lisanna's hand with her own. "Lisanna, I know that you know this…but…" Biting her lip, Mirajane delivered without holding back. "we need to move on."

"I know…" Lisanna replied, eyes never leaving the contents of the album, rubbing them with her index fingers in long, drawn-out circular motion. "It's just hard, losing two years like that. Of course! The family over there isn't bad, they were nice to me. Just, things changed so much." Mirajane knelt to meet Lisanna's downward focus.

"We'll be there for you, me, Elfman, everyone at the guild."

"Thanks…" Silence covered the two, giving Mirajane time to collect her thought, while Lisanna was wasting hers.

"I know! Why don't you go on a job? It'll clear your mind off things."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't feel comfortable if you're going alone so, bring someone with you. If I try to stop you from going after what I said about moving on, I'll just be a hypocrite." While it hurt to think of being away from her sister again, Mirajane knew that there was no other choice.

"I understand, I'll go on a job tomorrow."

"Then hurry and sleep, you'll need a good rest."

"I will." Once the two finished putting away the albums, Lisanna was getting ready to sleep.

"Lisanna." Lisanna's hand start from closing the door. "Come back safely."

"I will."

* * *

It was just one of those nights when I would feel nostalgic. With every household chore done, I sat on an armchair in the living room, flipping through a photo album to remind myself of the old times while waiting for my hair to dry. Which, shouldn't take too long seeing how short they are. All of memories came back to me, the time we when to a beach, when Mira-nee first taught me how to cook. Elf-niichan playing with his pet. All these family photo brings back so much memories.

Then I came to the photos and paintings of me and Natsu, there was so much! Us holding Happy's egg together, a painting of the house I built for the egg, fishing with Natsu and Happy. All of them were sorted in chronological order, so the further I went, the older me, Natsu and Happy became. A jarring part showed up, like a book with a page torn off. Seeing the pictures side-by-side, a rift in time was shown. From the last time I took a picture with Natsu before I left to the group photo after the Grand Magic Games. It was only two years, yet it made all the difference to me. The same situation happened with the photo albums, everything was smooth until that awkward break appeared.

The door to our house opened with a click and Mira-nee stepped in, holding a soaking umbrella.

"Lisanna? You're still up?"

"Yes, I'm waiting for my hair to dry." Mira-nee walked over and brushed my hair.

"But it's already dry."

"When did it—" I caught myself realising I've been sitting for quite some time thinking about what happened. Mira-nee's eyes drifted to the photo album on my lap and caught on quickly. She sat across from me, with a goal in mind. "Why don't you take a shower first? You must be tired from a day of work."

"You're more important than a shower." Her voice was gentle. "Lisanna, I know that you know this…but," Mira-nee bit her lip. "we need to move on."

"I know…" I'm just a child, still clinging on to these things. I'm already back and yet, why do I feel this way? "It's just hard, losing two years like that. Of course! The family over there isn't bad, they were nice to me. Just, things changed so much."

"We'll be there for you, me, Elfman, everyone at the guild." Mira-nee placed a hand on my shoulders.

"Thanks…"

"I know! Why don't you go on a job? It'll clear your mind off things."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't feel comfortable if you're going alone so, bring someone with you. If I try to stop you from going after what I said about moving on, I'll just be a hypocrite." So Mira-nee is trying her best as well…seeing her solemn face, filled with trouble, hesitance. But, the dominant emotion was clearly determination.

"I understand, I'll go on a job tomorrow."

"Then hurry and sleep, you'll need a good rest."

"I will." I rose from the armchair after packing away the albums with the help of Mira-nee, a clear goal was in my mind.

"Lisanna." Mira-nee called out as I was closing the door to my room. "Come back safely."

"I will."

* * *

 **Those who read Hisui's part will know what's going on. I don't know why would anyone skip it, but just in case, go read the first part to catch up.**

 **Now, the ones that wasn't chosen will stay in the pool of choices you get to pick for next time. If there is a next time, I don't know when will I quit writing these things.**

 **So yeah, tell me which pairing you prefer. Keep in mind it's with Natsu. And don't forget the tell me what point of view you want me to write this story in.**

 **Now for the character suggestions I choose not to write:**

 **First: Mira w/ Natsu**

 **I couldn't think of a good starting point and plot without it seem like it's copying off other's work. Maybe once my brain works again.**

 **Second: Jenny w/ Natsu**

 **I read this one story with Natsu and Jenny and that's all been in my mind whenever I try to write something. So, until my brain clears up and think of something good, I'm icing this pairing.**

 **Third: Ultear w/ Natsu**

 **A pairing I really want to write about. Again, thinking of a good idea that isn't too lazy. In know words, re-writing a plot idea in my own words.**

 **Forth: Kagura w/Natsu**

 **This one I'm just not confident in writing, this applies to the other ones I listed, but even more so with this one. I just don't know too much about the character to do a good job in. In other words, I'm too lazy to do a google search.**

 **Fifth: Cana w/Natsu**

 **This one was the closest one to making it to the first round, I have this idea that has a interesting start but, I can't follow it through and make it a longer story. The plan was to have Cana so blasted that she mistakens Natsu for some other guy. When she's sober again, all she could remember was how nice that the man was too her. So, her goal is to find this mysterious man and thank him. If I have to write this, it'll be much shorter I reckon.**

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 **Remember, all this can change, _you_ can change it! If you got a sick premise you want to hit me up with, please do! I know that all of my reasons is just a different form of not getting the inspiration—with the exception of Cana's. That one I'm just not capable of filling the shell of a good story with enough good content.**

 **Until then, have a great day!**


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